Known types of cursor controllers for computers include a mouse, a joystick, a track-ball and a touch pad that responds to a user's finger impressions. While a mouse provides a degree of accuracy, it also requires a fair amount of desk space. The joystick, track-ball and touch pad have an advantage over a conventional mouse because these require less desk space. However, these devices do not provide the same high degree of cursor control on the display that can be obtained with a mouse. For example, a mouse is preferred for drafting figures where position of the cursor must be accurately controlled. Thus, a limitation of known cursor controllers is that they either require a fair amount of desk space or do not provide sufficient control over the accuracy of the cursor on the computer display.
A goal of the invention is to overcome the identified limitations and to provide a desktop cursor controller that combines both small size and a high degree of accurate cursor control.